By Blake Jackson
The SW Missouri Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program sale held at Joplin Regional Stockyards on May 17 saw record-breaking prices, according to Patrick Davis, a livestock field specialist at the University of Missouri Extension.
Despite the smaller offering, the market remained robust, with five consignors selling 69 bred heifers for an average price of $3,439 per heifer. This marked the highest average recorded for the sale in recent years, exceeding last year's average by over $1,000.
Notably, Nolan Kleiboeker Farms LLC of Wentworth, a longstanding participant in the sale, secured the top-selling lots, with two lots fetching $4,100 per heifer. This surpassed the previous sale record set in 2014. The farm sold a total of 36 black/white-faced heifers, achieving the highest average price of $3,886 per heifer.
Meadowlyn Farms LLC of Cassville and Dale Kunkel Farms also made significant sales, with average prices of $3,540 and $3,400 per heifer, respectively.
Randy Little of Republic emerged as a first-time buyer, purchasing 12 heifers from Nolan Kleiboeker Farms for the third-highest average price of $3,866 per heifer. Nathaniel Graber, a
buyer returning after two decades, bought nine head at the highest average price of $4,044 per heifer, while Mathew Heidlage acquired 10 heifers at the second-highest average price.
The sale highlighted the strong demand for quality heifers in the region, with both longtime participants and new buyers contributing to the success of the event.
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Categories: Missouri, Business, Livestock